Keeping pace with global competitionLITTLE ROCK — The United States is a country built by exceptional achievements and a drive to always set the bar higher. However, in recent years, our national education system has not met those standards. The latest international educational survey was released late last year by the Program for International School Assessment. While at one time, we were consistently at or near the top of this survey, America now ranks 20th in reading, 23rd in...

Saga of the redneck farm kidIt is not just by chance some of my columns that get the most response are those that are just plain funny or at least humorous. Especially in today’s times, we all need a good laugh once in a while — in fact I could use one several times each day. A friend sent me a story awhile back about the Redneck Farm Kid in the Marines. I truly enjoyed it and felt you might as well. It begins: “Dear Ma & Pa, I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt an...

The high cost of liberalism: Part IIIIncome inequality has long been one of the liberals’ favorite issues. So there is nothing surprising about its being pushed hard this election year. If nothing else, it is a much-needed distraction from the disasters of ObamaCare and the various IRS, Benghazi and other Obama administration scandals. Like so many other favorite liberal issues, income inequality is seldom discussed in terms of the actual consequences of liberal policies. When yo...

Letter to the editor (April 24, 2014)Board of Trustees of Arkansas Tech I was impressed with the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees today (Tuesday) and the positive statements made by our Governor Mike Beebe concerning their contributions. The Board of Trustees obviously understood their role in higher education and executed their role with distinction. Mr. Beebe had the highest praise for their conduct and understanding of their role in allowing Dr. Brown to conduct the ...

The high cost of liberalism: Part IILiberals can be disarming. In fact, they are for disarming anybody who can be disarmed, whether domestically or internationally. Unfortunately, the people who are the easiest to disarm are the ones who are the most peaceful — and disarming them makes them vulnerable to those who are the least peaceful. We are currently getting a painful demonstration of that in Ukraine. When Ukraine became an independent nation, it gave up all the nuclear miss...

The high cost of liberalism in AmericaLiberals advocate many wonderful things. In fact, I suspect that most conservatives would prefer to live in the kind of world envisioned by liberals, rather than in the kind of world envisioned by conservatives. Unfortunately, the only kind of world that any of us can live in is the world that actually exists. Trying to live in the kind of world that liberals envision has costs that will not go away just because these costs are often ignored b...

Medicare versus ObamacareMedicare vs. Obamacare. That’s what this year’s Senate race between Sen. Mark Pryor and Rep. Tom Cotton is about. Cotton’s campaign points to Pryor being the necessary vote to pass Obamacare, and Pryor’s points to Cotton’s Medicare votes that would raise the eligibility age for future beneficiaries and create a voucher-like system where seniors would buy insurance using government subsidies. Last week, Pryor received the endorsement of the Nat...

Debate might not change Senate raceWith a proposal for a series of “Lincoln-Douglas style” debates around Arkansas with Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, Republican Rep. Tom Cotton of Dardanelle could change the dynamics in a race that’s mostly been waged through an increasingly costly television ad blitz. He also joins a list of candidates who have looked to debates as a game changer. It hasn’t always worked for the candidate seeking the debate. Cotton called for the two rivals...

Maggio case raises some important questionsThe controversy surrounding Faulkner County Circuit Judge Mike Maggio has raised an important question about judicial independence as Arkansas nears the May 20 party primaries and judicial elections. Maggio had been a candidate for the Arkansas Court of Appeals until blogger Matt Campbell reported in his Blue Hog Report about the Conway judge’s numerous postings on a Louisiana State University fan Web site under the pseudonym “geauxjudge.” He ...

The trouble with hobbitsPeter Jackson’s latest offering, “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” — or, as I like to call it, “The Hobbit 2: Adventure Harder” — was released on DVD and BluRay on April 8, and I finally got around to seeing it. Maybe it’s too late to air my grievances against the film, but I had a lot of conflicting emotions during the 161 minutes of movie loosely based around J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythology. I say loosely in that you have mostly the same cast...

Tourism treasurersLITTLE ROCK — Throughout my time as Governor, we have seen many twists and turns in the national economy that have made their impact known in Arkansas. Throughout both the tumultuous and brighter times, I’ve been extremely pleased by the accomplishments of the Arkansas tourism industry. Its members have worked hard to promote Arkansas’ unfailing hospitality and the many wonders our state has to offer. Arkansas is the first state in the U.S. wh...

Letter to the editor (April 18, 2014)Center Valley Crematorium As parents and grandparents, we want to protect our kids from harm physically, emotionally and psychologically. Yet we are facing a challenge like no other, one that it seems is being forced upon us. It simply does not make sense to place a crematory next to an elementary school. It is documented the cremation process releases colorless and odorless mercury vapors, what is not known is an exact amount. Per the EPA, yo...

I can hear a train a-comin’The late Johnny Cash (1932-2003) was born in my home state of Arkansas, and during his musical career he had many great hits, including one of my favorites titled “Folsom Prison Blues.” This song begins with these words, “I hear a train a comin’, it’s rolling round the bend, and I ain’t seen the sunshine since I don’t know when. I’m stuck in Folsom Prison, and time keeps draggin’ on … down to San Antone.” To be sure, trains and railroad tracks...

Gender pay and statistical fraudsThe “war on women” political slogan is in fact a war against common sense. It is a statistical fraud when Barack Obama and other politicians say that women earn only 77 percent of what men earn — and that this is because of discrimination. It would certainly be discrimination if women were doing the same work as men, for the same number of hours, with the same amount of training and experience, as well as other things being the same. But study...

Ask not what your cat can do for youA big-selling book, “Cat Sense: How the New Feline Science Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Pet,” helps cat lovers understand what is going on in the hearts and brains of their kitties. Sadly, not nearly so much as they thought and hoped. I’m pretty sure what my former cat was thinking: “What’s the least I can possibly do and still get her to feed me liver patties and otherwise leave me alone?” I’m not far off, author John Bradshaw seems t...

Letter to the editor (April 16, 2014)Senior interaction encouraged I recently experienced, as an observer, a heart-warming and, I think, a very healthy situation at our senior center. I refer to the visit and interaction with our seniors by a group of local high school students. Being an oriental and one who has traveled widely, I was reminded of the all too frequent practice of division between the young and the elders of American society. In my homeland, the elderly are venerat...

Help wanted for 400 jobs — and moreWhat would happen if an out-of-state employer was prepared to build a factory in Arkansas and pay 500 people a starting salary of $50,000 a year — but was having trouble finding the employees? The state of Arkansas and the local community would pull out all the stops for that $25 million annual payroll. After ensuring the industrial park had adequate water, wastewater and electrical connections, there might be an offer of state-financed employ...

Letter to the editor (April 16, 2014)Water fluoridation I have to disagree with my old friend, Dr. Sandra Young, about water system fluoridation. The fluoridation of public water has been hailed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as one of the top medical achievements of the 20th century. It is ranked No. 9 on this list, ahead of “Recognition of tobacco use as a health hazard.” Every major health organization in the world, including the American Medical Association (AM...

State Supreme Court to feature female majorityPolitical primaries in Arkansas have become somewhat ho-hum, now that we have a 2-party system. Most of the interesting races will be in November. Nevertheless, one historic change will take place on May 20, which is also when the state’s judicial elections will be held. The Arkansas Supreme Court will have a female majority for the first time. The high court already has three female justices out of seven, and Karen Baker is unopposed for re-e...

Appeal puts new focus on social issuesLITTLE ROCK — Attorney General Dustin McDaniel’s decision to appeal a ruling striking down Arkansas’ 12-week abortion ban isn’t just giving hope to conservative activists who want to preserve one of the strictest abortion laws in the country. It also could inject a new focus on abortion and other social issues into dozens of statewide and legislative races that had been focused more on health care, taxes and other matters. McDaniel announced l...